(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel hydrogels, methods of manufacturing hydrogels, and their use in connection with applications such as glucose monitoring.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
Diabetics frequently prick their fingers and forearms to obtain blood in order to monitor their blood glucose concentration. This practice of using blood to perform frequent monitoring can be painful and inconvenient. New methods of sampling body fluids that are more convenient and less painful have emerged which rely on transdermal transport of analyte molecules. One type of transdermal glucose sensor detects glucose permeating through a patient's skin (usually after a preparation treatment to increase skin permeability) by exposing glucose to the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) which forms hydrogen peroxide upon contact with glucose. The hydrogen peroxide is then measured electrochemically to determine the blood glucose concentration.
A need therefore exists for interface materials that can transport analyte molecules from the skin interface to the sensor interface in a manner that permits continuous, real-time monitoring of analyte concentrations within the patient in an efficient and reliable manner.